Advice on packing

I would bring things that are important to you. For me that would be my knives and the special tools that I couldn't cook without. If you have a food processor, a coffee maker, a mixer...you get the idea. I also brought my favorite mugs, cassarole dishes, and pots and pans.

For me, it felt more like home.

I've noticed that the pots and pans in our place seem to be on the rusty side. I haven't seen a good nonstick frying pan yet to buy as a replacement. Bringing that kind of stuff is heavy, but packing a few favorite items might help you enjoy your new home (and eat better too!).

tracymarilyn - thanks for asking that question

linda j & newarrival - thanks for the feedback

I'm trying to figure out the same thing. We are in the process (hopefully we'll be done today) of moving from our home into an apartment where we're staying for three months until we move to STX. As I unpack in the apartment I'm trying to figure out what we're going to be taking with us so all advice about that is very helpful!!

here it is from the landlord's perspective. We try to equip our rentals with all the basics, and got our "training" from having a short-term rental property where the management company had a good inventory list/requirements. But, have found over the years that most (not all) folks don't take care of our stuff--so, we no longer stock with really good things, since we so likely will be replacing/restocking on a turnover. The drinking glasses are less expensive, the dishes are Corelle but they all match, the sheets are cotton but the thread count is not high. If pots are teflon they are cheap cause guaranteed they will be scratched--even if we only leave nylon cooking utensils. Amazing how many pieces of silverware disappear. We include things like measuring cups and spoons, mixers etc, but doubt if everyone does. Sometimes tenants have used all their own kitchen/ bath/linens, and sometimes they intermingle theirs and ours. Anything you care about specifically probably should be your own, but you can always buy yourself a cheap set of glassware or whatever in kmart if you need to. This is all alot of work/cost, and is one of many reasons we look for long-term stable tenants.

We have 15 furnished apartments, and when we first started in this business, I wanted every unit to be a "doll house". I quickly learned that tenants will use your nice, plush towels as doormats, lose dishes (I find coffee cups in the laundry rooms often.), burn up the pots and pans. I had a tenant leave recently who left three separate bags outside for three different people to pick up. One bag had my towels, one had my coffee maker, and the third bag was actually his stuff. Our maintenance man picked up our stuff before the people got here to take it. When tenants leave, they often "give" stuff to another tenant, so we never know where everything is. We've been renting to one corporate client, and rather than nickel and dime them over coffee cups and towels, etc., we furnish with inexpensive, but adequate, housewares, so it doesn't hurt too much to replace it. On the other side of that, sometimes tenants will buy extras, like floor fans, beach towels, coolers, etc. and leave it behind. One tenant left a small fridge. We never figured out why he had it in the first place, but it was in great shape and now holds beverages on our patio.

I brought ALL of my good stuff... however if your gonna be here only a short time and go back state side decide what is bring able and not... remember that the salt in the air is high here... and when my mom came to visit... I sent back a few things that I didn't want to die here, at least she could use it... Also, our source here of decent cookware is out East at the hardware store and Kmart...

If your concerned about your steel... as long as you wash them properly and olive oil them every so often, you should be okay...

but in my experience when the place comes with stuff... its really just to get you by... and its usually mix and match... like I said I pretty much brought my whole kitchen, but I cook a lot and really enjoy it...